The Miami Dolphins have been submerged in mediocrity for the previous 20 years, regardless of who was working the franchise (seven completely different executives and common managers), teaching the crew (eight non-interim head coaches), or quarterbacking it (10 who’ve began 10 or extra video games) throughout that stretch.
At some level we now have to surprise what’s on the root of Miami’s struggles, the explanation why this as soon as proud franchise hasn’t certified for the playoffs greater than twice in 20 years, or gained a playoff recreation since 2001.
Is this the yr the Dolphins get their act collectively?
This is the second of a two-part sequence analyzing the potential points. The first explains why the Dolphins ought to make the playoffs in 2022.
This breaks down the ten issues that would forestall the Dolphins from qualifying for the postseason in 2022:
Tua Tagovailoa regresses as a beginning quarterback.
The Dolphins want Tagovailoa to develop into one of many league’s top-10 quarterbacks this season to justify the funding that has been made within the fifth general choose within the 2020 NFL draft. To get there Tagovailoa should keep wholesome, enhance his yards-per-attempt common (6.8), which ranked him twenty fourth final season, and must develop into extra environment friendly on third downs and within the pink zone as a result of these are the moments the place elite quarterbacks thrive. If Tagovailoa struggles in them, it is likely to be an indication this franchise is being constructed on a defective basis.
Dolphins be taught Tyreek Hill was a beneficiary of Andy Reid’s play-calling, and the expertise round him in Kansas City.
Hill has been one of many NFL’s most dynamic playmakers for the previous six seasons, however he’s been enjoying for a future Hall of Fame coach in Andy Reid, and has benefited from the presence of two attainable future Hall of Famers in Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight finish Travis Kelce throughout his emergence as an NFL elite. Dolphins followers higher hope there isn’t an enormous drop off from Reid’s play-calling to rookie coach Mike McDaniel, Mahomes to Tagovailoa and Kelce to Mike Gesicki.
Miami’s second-year gamers regress, identical to the 2020 draftees did final season.
Younger gamers are usually presupposed to take advantage of progress of their second season, however generally they hit obstacles that stall their improvement. Let’s hope receiver Jaylen Waddle, go rusher Jaelan Phillips, security Jevon Holland, offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg and the remainder of the 2021 draft class don’t expertise what occurred to Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Solomon Kindley and Noah Igbinoghene of their Year 2.
Injuries decimate the Dolphins in 2022.
Imagine enjoying giant parts of this upcoming season with out a few Miami’s key gamers, skills like cornerback Xavien Howard, go rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, Hill, Gesicki, linebacker Jerome Baker and offensive sort out Terron Armstead. Losing any of these gamers might result in prompt struggles as a result of the backups wouldn’t have the ability to present the extent of productiveness, playmaking they bring about. That’s a part of the explanation Miami ought to be cautious with the coaching camp, and observe workload of their top-shelf gamers.
Miami’s offensive line stays mediocre.
Last yr the Dolphins led the NFL in pressures allowed. Miami’s quarterbacks had been persistently harassed and rushed in video games, and it impacted the passing recreation considerably, limiting the play-calling. If Miami’s addition of Armstead and Connor Williams, and the crew’s new coaches aren’t in a position to repair this problem we could possibly be one other yr of disastrous offensive line play, which might crush all the crew for one more season. The improvement of Jackson, Eichenberg, Hunt and Michael Deiter will both prop up, or sink Miami’s offense.
McDaniel struggles to guide an NFL locker room.
There’s a motive solely one of many 9 groups searching for a head coach this previous offseason interviewed McDaniel. Most organizations didn’t really feel the 39-year-old, who served because the 49ers offensive coordinator for one season, was able to develop into a head coach. McDaniel is revered for his mind, however he’s received a unusual persona. That could possibly be useful, or be a hindrance, to his success in terms of regarding his gamers. The solely solution to inform is to see how he reacts to a shedding streak, which within the NFL is nearly inevitable. When that occurs, will McDaniel have the flexibility to problem-solve, and calm the troubled waters? Will his gamers purchase into his method when adversity hits?
Dolphins’ new offense experiences rising pains.
Adjusting to vary is usually troublesome, so anticipating the Dolphins offense to click on on all cylinders early within the season whereas putting in a wholly new offense is unrealistic due to all of the variables. Coaching staffs usually want time to be taught the strengths and weaknesses of their gamers. But what occurs if it takes Miami’s offense half a season to search out their identification on this play-action-based offense? Or even longer to discover a groove? That might result in some early struggles which may apply unwelcomed strain to different areas of the crew.
Josh Boyer can’t get Miami’s blitzing protection to work correctly.
Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (40.8 p.c) had the next blitz share than the Dolphins (39.6) final yr, and it led to a league-leading 77 quarterback knockdowns, and 48 sacks, which tied Miami for fifth place in 2022. The yr earlier than that, the Dolphins ranked second in blitz share (40.8), seventeenth in knockdowns (54) and tenth in sacks (41). It shall be attention-grabbing to see which degree of effectivity Boyer’s unit brings in Year 3 of his management, which shall be his first with out former head coach Brian Flores, who’s revered league-wide as an innovator of the amoeba-blitz method.
Miami’s run recreation stays inconsistent.
The Dolphins run recreation was so unreliable final season the crew needed to lean on two gamers — Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay — claimed off the waiver wire late final season to make it by means of the second half of the yr. And nonetheless, Miami ranked thirtieth in speeding yards per recreation (92.2) and thirty first in yards per carry (3.55). If McDaniel doesn’t get this unit into the highest half of the league’s speeding statistics in 2022 it’s a nasty signal of what’s to come back as a result of constructing an efficient working recreation is meant to be this head coach’s specialty.
Miami’s linebackers get uncovered for his or her shortcomings.
Baker, Phillips, Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley, and Andrew Van Ginkel collectively make up a stable linebacker unit as a result of their distinctive strengths complement Miami’s hybrid protection, which is fueled by its versatility. But there isn’t one participant on this linebacker unit who can do every part at an above-average degree, and due to this a very good offensive coordinator would possibly have the ability to assault their particular person weaknesses, like working at Baker, throwing at Roberts or forcing Phillips to drop again into protection.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com